


Hexside Academy

by JeyWriter



Category: Lumity - Fandom, The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Boarding School, Drama, F/F, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fantasy, Fluff, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hexside Academy of Magic and Demonics, High School, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lumity, Mystery, Recreational Drug Use, Romance, Slice of Life, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27041212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeyWriter/pseuds/JeyWriter
Summary: Luz Noceda get sent to live with her mother Camila's longtime friend Eda and go to the prestigious Hexside Academy.At first, she couldn't say she was thrilled. But she also wasn't resistant. She didn't have anything bonding her to her old school, after all.It starts out great. She makes her first two friends before the bus even arrives. The students are expressive and unique. The school has more facilities to offer than most colleges. It's idyllic. Or at least it appears to be.But Bonesborough holds many secrets.Just like the mysterious headmaster Belos.Supernatural occurances as a regularity serve as motivation for the founding of the Abomination club. While they continue to follow the trail of Hexside cases into the city, they begin to notice that nothing here is normal.The deeper they go, the more life mimics a fantasy novel. Or perhaps a horror novel.Can Luz survive the academy, discover the secrets of the city, and manage the school/work/love balance all at the same time!?She isn't sure at first, but with her newfound friends, she's going to try her best!(Not really a crossover, but several students will be recognizable from other series)
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Edric Blight/Jerbo, Emira Blight/Viney
Comments: 14
Kudos: 63





	1. Starting Fresh

Time never passed at the right speed. It either moved too quickly or too slowly, but never that happy medium. It was not a new concept or an unknown concept. And yet, people never spoke on it more than a passing comment about the world’s pacing. School took too long for a day to complete. There was never enough time in the day to see everything in an area. Things like that would often be thought by the youthful and excitable.

Currently, the Dominican-American girl seated in a near-empty bus would say that time had been passing too quickly. It had felt like mere moments since she kissed her mother goodbye. It had felt like a single blink was enough time for the entirety of packing and farewells to occur. In what many consider the early parts of teenhood, young Luz Noceda was on her way to a “special academy you’ll end up loving”, as her mother put it. It had to have been at least three hours since she had boarded this bus. She wasn’t even sure where they were, anymore.

Her cat hoodie and leggings beneath her waist-high jean shorts fit the role of the outfit she had chosen. It hadn’t changed recently, and Luz planned to wear the clothes she decided on until the school uniform was inevitably forced upon her. Camilia had never said specifically that uniforms were a thing there, but Luz was going to work under the assumption that her mother simply didn’t feel it necessary to say.

Some might guess that this transfer would signify a negative relationship between parent and child. Those people would be wrong. Luz and her mother loved each other very much, despite how much non-malicious but explosive trouble this fourteen-year-old tended to find herself in. But that trouble wasn’t the reason she found herself headed to the “prestigious Hexside Academy”, as her mother called it. Camilia had told Luz it was because she didn’t seem happy in her current school, but Luz could tell there was something else to it.

Not that the given reason was incorrect by any stretch. Luz hated her old school. Other kids would bully and mock her. Teachers would treat her like a lost cause. The only one at her old school who seemed to find her more than a nuisance was ironically the programming and robotics teacher there. An old man nearing retirement, he always took the time to greet Luz. He would often share stories from his time as a youth himself, although the stories seemed extremely exaggerated. And never talked down to her when she needed to be “escorted” to the principal’s office. Honestly, old Mr. McGucket would be the only person she’d miss. Aside from her mother, of course.

From what she understood, she’d be staying with an old friend of her mother’s. Eda Clawthorne, often referred to as Aunt Eda.

When Luz was young, Aunt Eda would visit at seemingly random times. And yet, Luz had forged a good connection with her. She never visited more than a few times a year. But in those visits, she’d often regale a young Luz with fantastical tales of magic, monsters, and demons. She’d also always sneak in sweets for her niece, despite Camilia’s protests. It had been a good year since the last visit, though.

Now, for whatever reason, she was going to be living with her favorite and elusive aunt. This was certainly something to be excited for. But it seemed almost random.

Lost in thought, Luz didn’t even notice another passenger peak over the seat in front of her. At least not until the future classmate spoke.

“Heyo.”

Luz glanced up to see a girl her age smiling at her while leaning over the back of the bus bench. The girl definitely seemed to be of Asian descent. She was wearing a grey t shirt and black jeans, turquoise-blue hair coming down just past her cheeks. Most would have guessed she was a bit chubby, but the solid tone tightening her shirt sleeves would tell otherwise.

'Hello, cute and swole girl who I’m surprised is starting a conversation,' she thought in surprise. 

“Oh, um, hi.” Luz responded, giving a friendly but unsure smile, “I’m Luz, Luz Noceda.”

“Willow Park.” She returned with a smile, “I’m guessing by the fact you’re on this bus means you’re going to Hexside Academy.”

“You’d guess right!”

“Well, then. Let’s get a head start on the friend making, shall we?”

Willow glanced back to her bench, and gently bumped the girl sitting next to her, expensive headphones blocking out noise.

'Huh. Would’ve never known she was there. Accidental sneaking skills!' 

She honestly hadn't noticed either of them seated in front of her at first, but the second girl had somehow evaded attention while she was sitting directly in her field of vision. Maybe she just wasn't being observant at the moment.

“Hey, Amity.” Willow laughed when the other girl finally removed her solitude enablers, “Try making a good first impression for once!”

An amused sigh could be heard.

After a moment, another girl popped up to look at Luz. She had flawless, porcelain-like skin and piercing, golden eyes. Aquamarine hair was pulled into a ponytail that was comprised of just enough of her hair to keep it out of her face while the rest hung down to her neck. The slight showing of brown roots let Luz know her hair was dyed. Black nailpolish and black triangle earings paired well with the tight and plain black shirt she was wearing.

'Holy heck, she’s pretty.' Luz couldn't help but stare for a moment. 

“Hey. I’m Amity Blight. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The newcomer greeted, snapping Luz out of her gawking trance.

“L-Luz Noceda! It’s nice to meet you too!” She responded, wincing at how pitchy her words were.

'Wow, great job. Panic is going to be in full swing today.'

Amity didn’t seem to notice, “Ooh, a unique name. I like it.”

Luz had to fight hard to prevent a blush from rising to her cheeks, “So, you guys are headed to Hexside too?”

“Yup!” Willow joined back in, “I’m gonna miss my dads, but I’m excited to get this new experience.”

'Dads, plural? Sweet, probably won’t need to worry about hateful comments then.'

Amity nodded, “It’s a great chance to further my studies. And get away from my parents.”

Luz caught a mix of relief and disdain in her tone, but decided not to ask.

As it turned out, she wouldn’t need to.

Willow caught the curiosity in Luz’s eyes. She glanced down to Amity, who gave an unspoken response in the form of a nod.

“You’re wondering about that, eh?” Willow giggled.

“Oh, I um…” Luz responded, awkwardly berating herself that the curiosity was that palpable.

“It’s fine, Luz. I don’t mind sharing.” Amity smirked. Luz released a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She didn’t want to be intrusive and scare away these potential friends.

Amity continued easily, “My parents are super controlling. ‘A Blight is perfect. A Blight performs at the highest level. A Blight doesn’t associate with those of lower station’. Spare me, it’s so elitist that it makes me physically ill.”

“That’s the nice way to put it.” Willow agreed, “When we were little kids, her parents made her stop being friends with me. Honestly, it sucked. We still spoke in private away from our homes, but she really had to lay it on thick with the Blight brand bullying at school.”

Amity sighed, shame peeking through her clearly schooled expression, “It’s true. I honestly had to be horrible to you. My only real friend, and I hate to go alpha bitch mode around her in public.”

Willow gently placed a hand on her shoulder, “It really hurt at first, but it was because we didn’t get a chance to talk about why she suddenly turned on me like that. Turns out, she was actually trying to protect my family.”

“Woah, really?” Luz asked, appalled at the information being presented to her.

“Yup.” Amity scowled, “My parents are incredibly powerful due to their deep involvement and donations to local politics. They were going to try and block Willow from any good schools and get her dads fired from their positions at the city building if I didn’t cut her out.”

“On Amity’s freaking birthday, no less.” Willow added, gritted teeth doing a great job of displaying her disgust.

“You’re kidding.” Luz gasped, “That’s literally the worst thing I’ve ever heard.”

She paused, “So, how did you two make up?”

Willow and Amity glanced to each other, before exchanging a smirk and looking back to Luz.

“What happened to trying to not be invasive?” Willow asked with narrowed eyes.

“She must’ve gotten too wrapped up in our story.” Amity agreed.

“W-Wait!” Luz stuttered, “Please just forget I asked!”

The two stared at her for a moment longer, before breaking out into giggles. Luz herself let out a nervous chuckle. She really thought she screwed up there.

The pair of best friends finally stopped laughing. Luz observed it was good-natured. She wasn’t used to those kind of laughs around her.

“Long story short, we got into a shouting match. Which turned physical.” Amity explained with amusement.

Willow shrugged, “For as small as she looks, Amity here actually was some muscle in her frame. Honestly, it took me by surprise.” She glanced over, “Jock.”

“You know it.” Amity grinned, “Honestly though, I was surprised you didn’t snap me in two.”

Luz nodded, but her mind was still stuck on this girl with the vampire aesthetic being an athlete. That was not something she would’ve guessed based off of looks alone.

Amity continued, “Eventually though, Willow pinned me. I was so frustrated, I told her the truth before I could stop myself.”

“I’m glad you did.” Willow cut in, “We talked a bit, and I decided we were going to be friends in secret. The plan was for us to both get scholarships to Hexside Academy and then we could do friendship stuff again. I still was bitter for a while, but it’s been… Three years since that fight?”

“Four, actually.”

“Huh. Wow. Anyway, my parents moved to a different city fairly recently. And while I didn’t get a full ride, Amity sure as heck did. So now, we’re pretty much free to do our thing!”

Without another word, Willow gripped Amity in a side hug, causing them both to giggle.

Luz sniffed, which caught their attention again. They looked down to see Luz furiously wiping her misty eyes.

“I’m sorry guys, but that’s so cute. Best friend goals.”

The two shared an amused glance. This girl was strange, but sweet and genuine.

After a moment, Luz finally regained her composure, “Sorry, sorry. I’m good now. Thanks for sharing your story. But, uh, can I ask why you shared it with basically a total stranger?”

“Honestly?” Amity asked, “I’m excited as heck about it, so my eagerness to share kind of took over.”

Willow nodded, “And also, I got a good feel from you. I’d guess you’re not a gossip and are actually super nice. And I don’t usually get people wrong.”

“Oh.” Luz blinked, she was honestly stunned, “Well, we’re definitely friends now! Congrats on being free from toxic parents, Amity!”

“Thank you, Luz.” She smiled.

“Plus,” Willow added, “Now you don’t have to worry about your parents reaming you for liking girls.”

Luz’s brain did a total stop.

'Pretty girl likes girls. I’m a girl! Wait, wait. That’s weird, Luz. Don’t start crushing on your first real friends. Don’t ever think about that again.'

Amity rolled her eyes in amusement, “Yeah, that too.”

“If it helps,” Luz swallowed, “I’m bi, so…”

“Woohoo!” Willow shouted, surprising them both, “Bi team!”

She quickly stuck a hand up, and Luz smacked it with her own, “Yeah! Now we’re not… Bi ourselves.”

Willow quickly retracted her hand, “I’ve never seen a friendship ruined so fast.” She deadpanned.

Amity giggled, “You’re just mad it wasn’t one of your puns.”

After the excitement died down, the girls transitioned into comfortable conversation. Talking about hobbies, where they were from… Normal things that Luz was still getting used to. She was able to shake her original fear of the two trying to bait her rather quickly. She made real friends and couldn’t be happier.

They were so absorbed in conversation, Luz didn’t notice the passing lights and total change of scenery outside of the bus that occurred over that last hour of their conversation. .

At least, not until the bus pulled to a stop.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve arrived at your destination.

Welcome to Hexside Academy in beautiful Bonesborough."

Luz excitedly jumped from her seat, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

Willow and Amity followed suit and the three quickly disembarked the bus.

“Heck, yeah! My legs… Needed to… Stretch?”

Luz’s proclamation slowly lost steam as she finally took a look at her new surroundings. The academy before them was massive. Countless multiple-story buildings of ivory with blueish-grey trim and roofs spread further than she could see. A grand sports arena in the distance could be seen rising above the roofs of the academy buildings. The landscaping was near flawless, being lush and vibrant.

There were sparse, widely dispersed students wandering the grounds. As she glanced around, every student was strikingly different and unique.

She took note of a boy with flowing blond hair in a blue t shirt and denim shorts with a white hat casually walking along, wooden sword tucked between himself and his green backpack.

A girl with poofy brown hair down to her hips, her pink sweater with a rainbow-colored shooting star and purple skirt slightly covered in the glitter she seemed to be randomly throwing around.

She saw a girl with a fishhook earring and hair in a messy bun and a boy with wefted-over hair running from what appeared to be a security guard, tossing a smoke grenade behind them and directly in the pursuer’s line of sight.

"See ya, sucker!" The girl taunted as they took off in a different direction. 

The security guard ran blindly through the smoke, just barely missing the girl in a hoodie with her nose pressed deep into her handheld video game. She didn't appear to notice as he crashed into the trash bin behind her. 

"Hm?" She raised her eyebrow, finally looking back to the trapped guard, "Maybe I shouldn't be playing Vagabondia Chronicles while walking... Nah." 

She casually walked away, nose back into her game. Luz had to sidestep her as the distracted girl walked by.

The Latina was so busy taking in the sights, she didn’t hear her friends catch up to her.

“Luz? You alright?” Willow asked.

As she rested her hand on the frozen girl’s shoulder, she immediately fell to the ground, flat on her back. Luz didn’t make any exclamation of pain. She just stared up at the sky in silence.

“She’s probably just tired.” Amity said with uncertainty and concern.

After a moment, Luz opened her mouth in a wide grin. She was practically vibrating with excitement.

“This. Place. Is. AMAZING!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The first big piece of writing I've done since I was a sophmore in high school. Eight years ago, here we go!
> 
> I welcome you to the journey of Luz Noceda and friends at Hexside Academy.


	2. Family and a Counselor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz and friends meet Amity's siblings, but she isn't happy to see them. 
> 
> The guidance counselor has a surprising connection to Luz.

It took a few minutes for the shock and excitement to wear off enough for Luz to stand again. She might have been playing it up a bit for comedic effect, but she truly was surprised by her first look at Hexside Academy. After what she’d been used to, this would be a welcome change.

The students were expressive and unique. None of them seemed even a bit afraid to be themselves. That itself was something that warmed Luz’s heart. A school where the attendees were given such freedom, without fear of consequence for being different… Save maybe those two fleeing students if that security guard had actually caught up to them.

She felt herself being steadied on each side. 

Both Amity and Willow held stares at her. Amity’s look leaned more towards concern, while Willow’s was more of amusement. 

“Gonna be alright there, champ?” Willow asked playfully. Luz couldn’t fight off the smirk. She already felt comfortable around these two, was this what having real friends was like?

Amity frowned and gently rubbed Luz’s back. Ooh, boy. She barely caught herself from leaning into the touch. She wasn’t quite sure what that feeling was. Similar to how she felt when her mother would try to soothe her, but also noticeably different.

“Seriously,” Amity asked, “Are you sure it was just for effect? You dropped pretty hard.”

Luz couldn’t stave off a smile, “I’m sure. It’s so sweet of you to worry though!” 

“Well, of course.” Amity huffed, “You dropped like bricks.”

Willow giggled slightly, getting a mild glare from her childhood friend. 

“To be fair,” Willow shrugged, “You were down for a few minutes.”

“Well,” Luz said, bouncing up and down, “I’m all good! Thanks, girls.”

“Friendship and whatnot.” Willow waved away the thanks.

“What she said.” Amity nodded seriously. 

Luz could get used to this. Legitimate friends with legitimate concern gave her a warm feeling. She silently gave appreciation to her good fortune. Looks like her mother was right on this being a good thing for her.

A new voice cut through their little world and back to reality. 

“Uhh, are you guys new students too?” 

The girls looked over at the newcomer. 

He was shorter than the three of them, a young black boy near their age with an uncertain expression wearing a blue tracksuit that was adorned with the Hexside logo. He seemed to flinch back a bit at their looks, but smiled genuinely anyway.

“Sure are!” Luz exclaimed, “You new too?” 

The boy seemed a bit more emboldened by the friendly response, and he nodded excitedly.

“Sure am!” He stuck out a hand, “Augustus Porter. Please just call me Gus.” 

Luz energetically gripped his hand, “No prob, Gus!” 

Willow laughed, “We’re making a group on accident. I’m Willow Park.”

Amity herself couldn’t fight off a smile. There wasn’t any pressure here to keep up appearances or background check potential friends. Here, she could freely make friends with people she’d actually like to spend time with. 

It was refreshing, watching Luz and Willow add to their group. 

She really did have complete faith in her best friend’s choices in people. 

“Amity Blight.” She nodded in amusement, “Fair warning, boy. These two are crazy.” 

“I thought so,” Gus laughed, much more comfortably this time, “I saw Luz elbow drop the grass.”

Luz found herself groaning, “Oh great. Top ten first impressions.”

Gus smiled, “It’s fine, dude. Honestly, seeing how goofy and loose you guys were gave me the confidence to say ‘hey’.”

“We’re now going to absorb you into our group.” Willow said, holding a straight face.

It didn’t last, as the four quickly found themselves laughing. 

Luz shook her head. Yeah, she was gonna be fine here. 

“Anyway,” Gus said once the laughing had died down, “Apparently, we’re supposed to go meet with the student counselor. She wanted students to check in with her when they arrived.”

“Oh, yeah. I’d almost forgotten that.” Amity gasped, “I can’t believe I almost forgot the literal first instruction.”

Willow rolled her eyes, “You would’ve remembered before me. Give yourself some slack.”

“Yeah!” Luz agreed quickly, “We’ve been here for literally fifteen minutes.”

“Wanna go as a group?” Gus asked.

“Heck yeah!” Willow shouted, swinging her arm around his shoulder, “Let’s go, team!” 

They all headed to the closest directory. Ironically, it was right next to the trash can that was destroyed by the unfortunate security guard. 

Looking at the map basically confirmed what they all had thought. This campus was absolutely huge. It matched the size of a typical college campus easily. The fact it was so large, yet so well kept was astonishing. 

“Okay…” Amity hummed, “Looks like our destination is in the administrative building. Center campus, in front of the fountain.”

“Let’s roll, peeps!” Luz shouted, quickly taking off.

“It’s the other way!” Amity called after her. 

Luz slid to a stop and jogged back, “Oops. I knew that.” 

The walk to their destination was fairly uneventful. They decided this would be a great opportunity to get to know each other better. 

Going back to the ‘Amity is an athlete’ subject from earlier, it turned out she was exceptionally talented in that regard. She was a member of the baseball team, football team, and team captain of the rugby team at her old school. Willow had an abnormal affinity to plants. Amity swore she could grow any plant at any time. The two apparently knew each other better than they knew themselves. 

Gus was an expert in set design for plays. He also was a natural at human anatomy and a confident public speaker. That honestly seemed to go against first impressions, but as he described it, “When I know what I want to say, it’s like a performance”. 

Luz found herself gushing about her love of anime and fanfiction. She also mentioned she made AMVs of the highest quality. But once she mentioned her love for The Good Witch Azura, Amity shot her an excited grin. 

“You’re a fan, too?!” Amity nearly squealed. 

“OMG, get out of here! You too!?” Luz shouted, taking Amity’s hands in her own, “We have to share all our theories for the new book coming up!” 

Amity energetically returned the grip, “One hundred percent! I’ve got so many!” 

“Oh boy,” Willow playful sighed, “We’ve got two fangirls in the house.”

Gus raised his hand, “I’m also a fan.”

Willow let her shoulders drop, “I guess I’m the only one who hasn’t read them, then. Or even seen the movies.”

“We’ll fix that.” Luz, Amity, and Gus said in near perfect synch. 

“How unsettling.” Willow chuckled. 

Amity playfully shoved her, “Oh, come off it!” 

A smooth, feminine voice cut through their banter.

“New friends, Mittens? ”

A second voice, this one male, added a second question.

“And is that Willow?”

The four turned to see a duo approaching them. 

They were almost unsettlingly in sync. A boy and a girl who simply had to be twins. They both had sea-green hair and golden eyes quite similar to Amity. The boy had a small mole under his right eye, while the girl had one under her left. They both wore matching outfits, a burgundy vest over a grey undershirt and pants.

Cheshire smiles were pointed to the four of them.

Amity grit her teeth, “Emira. Edric.” 

The tone of her voice let the rest of them know she wasn’t pleased with these newcomers.

Willow tensed up, “Oh, right. All three of the Blight kids are here.”

“What?” Luz asked in surprise, “These two are Amity’s siblings?!”

The boy, Edric, grinned, “Got that right.”

“We’re her older siblings.” The girl, Emira said with a wider grin.

They stepped closer, and began walking around the four in opposite circles. 

It left them with a feeling similar to being circled by sharks. 

Amity scowled and took a few steps away from the group.

“If you’re going to do something, hurry it up!” 

“Aw, Mittens,” Emira cooed, “You could be happier to see us.”

“She probably isn’t, for good reason.” Edric added with a chuckle.

The two stopped circling, standing directly in front of Amity. Luz noticed that she’d placed herself between them and her siblings. ‘She feels threatened… And wants to protect us.’

The twins kept their smirks on, but slowly reduced their predatory looks. 

“It’s a shame, baby sister.” Emira laughed, “I would’ve hoped you’d at least greet us first.”

Edric let out a sigh, this one legitimate, “To be fair, this was probably a poor choice of a greeting.”

“She can take it! We’re not doing much.” Emira rolled her eyes.

“Can I help you two?” Amity asked, “Or are you just here to annoy me?”

Edric and Emira took a step forward, now directly in front of their little sister.

“Yeah, you can. We’re gonna do something, alright.” Edric said in a strangely apathetic tone.

“Something we should’ve done a long time ago…” Emira added with a frown.

Behind them, Luz tensed up. She wasn’t sure what kind of relationship Amity had with her siblings, but it didn’t seem too positive. Gus didn’t know what to do, so he settled for staying silent in hopes of not being noticed again. Willow seemed to be flexing her hand into a fist, watching the entire thing with baited breath.

Then, to the surprise of everyone, the twins pulled Amity into a tight hug. 

“We’re so proud of you.” Emira told her with the softest voice her siblings had ever heard.

“What?” Amity asked in surprise, raising an eyebrow. Was this more of their tricks?

“We said, ‘we’re proud of you’.” Edric answered with a huff, “Let it sink in a bit more. We're proud of how you told mom and dad to bite it. And now you're doing your own thing!”

Amity quickly fought out of her siblings grasp, still tense, but now thoroughly confused. When the three of them were young, they had all been very close. But as they’d gotten older, Edric and Emira’s intense pranking had driven them apart. The twins would try to text or call her often, but she rarely responded. The past year, they didn’t even return from school for holidays, despite her mother ordering them to do so. 

Edric and Emira exchanged glances, some unspoken conversation between them. 

“I’ll say it.” Edric said, stepping towards his youngest sister. He grimaced when she took a step back, “We’re sorry, okay? We were way too harsh when we were kids. I’m sorry.”

“What Ed said, we’re sorry.” Emira nodded, trying to beckon Amity back over, “Please, Amity. Let your big sister hug you…” Amity caught the slight break in her voice, “Please…”

Amity cautiously walked back within hugging distance. She was still unsure, but Emira rarely ever broke composure. She was always calm and calculated. While it was very slight and most people wouldn’t have noticed it, her siblings did. 

The older sister quickly wrapped up her younger sister into another hug.

Amity was still confused and a bit on edge, that was certain. But… It had been so long since she’d felt an earnest embrace from… Well, anyone in her family. Before she could stop herself, she fiercely returned the hug. The youngest carefully turned her head away from her friends, not wanting them to see her tear up. 

“I’m sorry, I missed you so much, I’m sorry I was such a terrible sister… I love you, baby sister.” Emira whispered sadly, just loud enough for Amity alone to hear. 

That was it. Neither sister could help it. They both began to cry, they didn’t care who saw anymore. Amity felt Edric get dragged into the hug. Oddly enough, he was crying harder than both of them put together. 

Luz took the opportunity to lean over and whisper to Willow, “What’s happening? I’m feeling super invasive over here, watching their family stuff.”

“I don’t know anymore…” Willow sighed, “But I’ve never seen Emira cry. Even when they were little, I’d never seen her break that cool facade of hers… As for what it is, we’ll have to wait and see.”

The three cried for a while, not caring about the strange or concerned looks from the people passing by. Willow mentioned that the three of them always kept up public appearance, so whatever this was, it was important to them.

Finally, they broke the hug. Still, they remained standing very close to one another. 

They all seemed to be trying to regain enough composure to speak. 

Emira was the first one. 

“Look, baby sister… I know I’ve been a terrible sister. No sugar-coating it.” 

Amity wiped her eyes with a quiet laugh, “No disagreements here.”

“And!” Edric added, “I’ve been an equally terrible brother.” 

Emira shot a soft glare at her brother, but it lacked any malice. 

“We’ve been terrible older siblings.” Emira continued, “And we never really gave a thought about how it was affecting you. We were so busy trying to distract ourselves from the life Mom and Dad chose for us that we left you behind.”

Edric nodded, “We were more concerned with being the cool kid troublemakers than being there for our little sister. We treated you really badly.”

“You really did.” Amity quietly agreed. She unconsciously began to wring her hands together.

Emira and Edric both reached out, each grabbing one of Amity’s nervous hands. The three exchanged what might’ve been the first genuine smile between them in years.

“But…” Emira continued, “We realized something in the two years we’ve been away.”

“We missed you, and how things used to be.” Edric finished. 

“We know we can’t make up for how we treated you overnight,” Emira gently stroked her younger sister’s hand, “But we’d like to be able to try, if that’s okay. If we were miserable, how were you? Mom and Dad pushed you harder than either of us. And we were so focused on escaping, we didn’t care about you.”

Edric nodded, “We haven’t seen you in two years, baby sister. When we were much younger, I was always afraid of you not needing me anymore. So, wasn’t it messed up that I made it that way?”

Amity stared hard at her brother and sister. She never truly hated them, but she did hate what they did. In the past two years, whenever she’d think of them, she’d get frustrated. Why didn’t they care anymore? Edric used to take her to the park. Emira used to let her sleep in her room whenever she had nightmares. It used to be the three of them, together. 

She didn’t feel like she could completely forgive them right away, but she wanted to. Despite what she would tell anyone else, she missed when her older siblings held her when things were bad. She missed when they would read her stories to put her to bed. She missed when wherever one Blight went, the other two were close behind. 

Amity took a breath, “I missed you guys. I really did. But whenever you would pick on me, all I could think about was what I did wrong.”

Emira gasped, “You never did-”

Amity quickly cut her off, “Please, let me finish.” Emira forced herself silent, looking truly guilty. Edric didn’t look any better, “We used to be so close. You guys used to be who I could talk to when things were going bad. And then, all of sudden, you stopped being there for me. It hurt me, in more ways than I feel comfortable saying out here.”

Edric and Emira looked at each other. They had discussed this recently, how badly their old treatment would’ve affected their little sister. Well, they were getting their answers… And it was worse than they had thought. Could they even make it up to her at this point?

Amity continued, “But, even saying all that… I missed you guys. And I’m going to let you try and make it up to me. Don’t make me regret it.”

“We promise.” The twins said in perfect sync.

“I’ll be a good sister to you again, I swear.” Emira said.

“And I’ll be a good brother.” Edric agreed, “But… We won’t stop being troublemakers.”

“We’ll make sure not to be terrible to you.” Emira continued, “And you tell us if our teasing or pranks cross a line. We’re going to talk through any issues from now on.”

“Guess that’s all I could hope for.” Amity sighed contentedly, “But try to not get in too much trouble. I just got you idiots back.”

The three exchanged one more quick hug, before their attention got pulled away to the sound of a small squeak. 

Amity remembered she had three friends with her, watching everything that just happened. She couldn’t prevent the blush that rose to her face. 

“That’s so great,” Luz said, wiping away tears in her eyes, “I’m so glad you guys worked everything out.”

“I agree.” Willow nodded, “But if you two ever hurt Amity again, I’m going to turn you into fertilizer.”

Gus awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and smiled, “I’m happy for you three.”

Edric and Emira quickly made their way over to the three, Amity close behind. They sent a friendly wave to Willow, before closely examining Luz and Gus. So closely, personal space was not being respected. 

After a moment, the twins stepped back.

“Real friends, Mittens?” Edric asked.

“Now I’m proud of you for something else.” Emira approved.

“Guys!” Amity groaned, stepping in between her friends and siblings, “Can you not embarrass me and make my friends uncomfortable? Please?”

Edric and Emira immediately raised their hands in surrender. 

“That’s fair enough.” Edric agreed. 

“So, anyway,” Emira quickly shifted topics, “We’re having a get together later tonight. You four wanna come?”

“A party before school even starts? Seriously?” Amity asked, exasperated. 

“Not quite a party.” Edric corrected, “But, we do have some ragers on the weekend you’re welcome at.”

“This,” Emira continued, “Is more of just us and our friends hanging out, eating snacks, and talking for a bit. We reserved one of the hangouts at the student center.”

“It’d be really cool if you came.” Edric said, singing the last part.

“Ooh!” Luz exclaimed, grasping Amity’s shoulders, “We can go, right?”

“It does sound like a good way to meet some people before classes start.” Willow added.

“With upperclassmen no less!” Gus grinned. 

Amity couldn’t suppress her groan. But this one wasn’t like the typical ones her siblings elicited. They really wanted to spend time with her and her friends. Maybe agreeing this one time wouldn’t hurt.

“Fine.” 

“Woohoo!”

“Heck yeah!”

“Good choice, Mittens!” 

“This better be lit!” 

“Thanks, little sister.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Amity waved everyone’s cheering off. “Anyway, we’ve got to get over to the counselor's office.”

“Oh shoot! I forgot!” Luz gasped. 

“We won’t keep you then.” Emira smiled, winking to the three, “Later, cuties!”

“Be there or be square!” Edric declared, shooting finger guns before walking away.

Once the two left, Amity began walking towards their original destination.

“That was so beautiful!” Luz gushed, “You guys actually talked about your problems! And you love each other! It’s the sweetest.”

Amity chuckled, neither paying much mind to her small blush, “Guess you can’t get a more eventful first day than that.”

“I don’t know about that,” Willow smirked, “Ed and Em probably call their parties ‘social gatherings’, so we might have more to come.” 

“I’m so excited!” Gus bounced excitedly, “I didn’t expect to get included in anything cool!”

Luz put her arm around his shoulders, “Well, stick close, Gus! With Amity leading the way, excitement seems to follow!” 

The rest of their walk was occupied by light conversation and Willow, much to Amity’s chagrin, sharing stories from their childhood. 

Before they realized it, they arrived. The administrative building didn’t look any different from the rest of the surrounding buildings. The only thing that let them know they arrived was a clear sign on the building’s front. 

As they stepped in, they noticed a receptionist snoozing away at their post. Luckily, Luz noticed the Guidance Counselor’s office was connected to the lobby. 

She poked her head in cautiously, “Hello?”

Behind the counselor’s desk, sat an older woman. Even sitting down, Luz could tell she was quite tall and lean. She wore dark teal lipstick, matching the trim on her mostly grey dress. Her long, indigo hair reached well past her shoulders. 

The woman noticed her, smiled gently, and waved Luz in. The young latina took note of the woman’s long, painted black nails. 

“Hello there.” The woman greeted with a gentle smile, “I’m Lilith Clawthorne, the guidance counselor.”

“Clawthorne?” Luz asked in surprise, “Like Eda?”

Lilith raised an eyebrow, before smiling again, “Ahh, that makes sense. You must be Luz Noceda, you fit the description my sister gave me perfectly.”

“Eda’s your sister?!” Luz nearly shouted. 

Lilith winced, before smirking, “Yes, I’m the straight-laced one. Do try and keep her out of trouble. She’s well-meaning, but quite wild.”

Luz certainly didn’t see that coming. No one bothered to mention that Aunt Eda’s sister was the guidance counselor she’d be getting advice and, well, guidance from. But, this woman, while a bit uptight, seemed kind enough.

“No promises,” Luz sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, “I’m not exactly a model student myself.”

“I’ve read your profile,” Lilith smiled, “I believe you’re a good kid at heart. But, without friends and a curriculum you care about, you’re bound to cause some trouble.”

“Oh…” Luz smiled carefully, “You wouldn’t be wrong.”

“I’d hope not. It’s my duty as a guidance counselor to get to know and assist my students.”

“You’re not wrong.” Luz giggled, “You’re already doing better than my old school’s counselor. She told me I’m a lost cause.”

Lilith’s smile morphed into a scowl. It honestly scared Luz a bit.

“Then that counselor should be out of a job. Miss Noceda, I believe you’re anything but a lost cause. I believe you need to learn something you're passionate about. A letter from a Mister McGucket that was included in your profile also tells me you're extremely kind, and maybe a bit naive. But you mean well, and just get stir-crazy. You’ll do well here”

Luz felt her eyes getting misty again. ‘What is it with today making me cry?’ She couldn’t help but think to herself. 

Lilith reached across her desk and placed a gentle hand on Luz, “You weren’t treated fairly at your old school. And I also believe the students at your old school did not recognize a kind soul when they saw it.”

“Thank you, Miss Lilith.” Luz managed to say, voice thick with emotion.

“Just Lilith.” She corrected gently, “While I tell all my students not to bother with honorifics, you even more so. We’re practically family, from how Edalyn talks about you. But enough of that, I’m sure I’ll see you at her home.”

She leaned back in her chair, “Let’s get your curriculum set.”

“Yes, Mi-... Lilith.” 

The counselor smiled, “So, what is it that interests you?”

“School-wise?”

“Anything, really. You’ll find this Academy has courses for almost everything.”

“Well…” Luz thought, “I love writing. And video editing. And I’m really good at painting and sketching. And also cooking. But I also love learning about herbals and animals…” 

Lilith couldn’t stave off a chuckle, “Well, how about I give you a course in each one, and you can specialize later, if you so choose.”

“That would be awesome!” 

Reaching over to her keyboard, Lilith took a few minutes to type, before printing a sheet out and handing it to the now very excited Luz.

“These will be your courses for the semester.” Lilith explained, “Also listed is your homeroom. Normally, you’d have a dorm room assignment number as well, but Edalyn’s home doesn’t have one.”

Luz giggled slightly, “Not yet, anyway.”

Lilith shook her head in amusement, “I’d also recommend you pick out a club or two to join. Maybe even an athletics team. But most importantly, make friends and enjoy your time here.”

“I will!” Luz jumped up with a smile. 

“Excellent. Now, please send the next of your friends in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, now we have more background on these characters and the kids are getting their classes set.
> 
> I really enjoyed writing this chapter, despite the fact I may have gotten choked up writing the interactions between the Blight children. It honestly reminded me of the way my siblings and I made amends after not talking for years.


	3. Upperclassmen Can Kick It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After receiving their schedules and getting settled into their residences for the foreseeable future, Luz and co hang out with Edric, Emira, and their unusually relaxed classmates.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Luz announced with confidence, “but I can’t wait for school to start!”

She currently looked upon her curriculum with excited eyes. Who would’ve guessed there was a school out there that actually took into account what students wanted to learn? Before today, Luz sure wouldn’t have. But here she was, gazing at a set of classes she actually wanted to be in. Save for the required courses, of course.

Beside her, Willow rolled her eyes. 

“Every teenager in the world just grimaced.” She said with a snicker. 

“I disagree,” Gus laughed, “I’m pretty excited, if I had to describe the feeling.” 

“It’s strange,” Amity said, thoughtfulness keeping her voice from growing jovial, “I was so used to taking whatever my parents picked for me. But now, I’m holding a schedule of things I chose for myself.”

Willow playfully bumped their hips together, “Better get used to it, baby!” She pumped her fist with a grin, “Because, here we are! At Hexside Academy, learning fun things! Doing what we want! Not hating it here!” 

“Got that right!” Luz shouted, “We’re gonna take this place by storm! Nothing can stop me now!” 

She lost focus for a minute, bumping into a girl wearing an olive-green shirt, turquoise jacket, and a yellow skirt, dark-blue hair tucked under a beanie that matched her shirt. She had an air of standoffishness and cockiness. 

“Hey! Watch it.” The girl said, disinterest playing at her features. 

“Sorry!” Luz apologized, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head. How did she not see her? Her attention span was all over the place today.

The girl simply rolled her eyes, “Whatever. It’s cool, I guess. Just watch where you’re walking. Queen bees around here, and all that garbage.” 

With that, the girl pushed past them, continuing on her way. Luz still felt the remnants of embarrassment, while the others watched the stranger walk away without a second thought.

“Wow,” Gus laughed, “The timing was perfect.”

“Friendly one, that girl.” Willow commented with sarcasm. 

“Forget about her.” Amity said, waving off the stranger, “We’ve got bigger things to care about.”

“Like figuring out if we have any classes together!” Luz added.

“I’m pretty sure we don’t.” Amity sighed, “Every class is extremely focused.”

“Aww, come on.” Willow chuckled, “Let’s check anyway.”

As it turned out, they did have a few classes together. Amity and Luz discovered they were in the same creative writing class on Mondays, while Willow and Gus were in the same biology class on Wednesdays. Willow and Amity also shared an honor’s statistics class on Tuesday and Thursday. All four of them also found themselves in the same communications class for Fridays

“Hey, the squad’s up on Friday!” Luz cheered.

“Why the heck are you guys taking honors statistics?” Gus asked, looking to Willow and Amity.

“I need it as part of botany, same as our biology class.” Willow shrugged.

“I’m just good at statistics. And it’s an honors class.” Amity added. 

“We’re also in creative writing together to start the week!” Luz laughed, swinging an arm around the Blight girl. Considering they both were neck deep into the Azura fandom, she was certain Amity had some form of fanfiction experience. While not necessarily professional, good fanfiction reading and writing could be a solid starting point.

“Why did we need communications?” Willow questioned. Not like it was something she would’ve chosen on her own.

“It’s a prerequisite.” Gus answered, “Plus, not like it won’t come in handy.”

“Okay, okay,” Luz cut in, “Enough about classes. What dorms did you guys get?”

“I’m rooming with Amity over in the Butterfly Hall, second floor.” Willow answered, smiling at her best friend.

“Nice!” Gus shot them a thumbs up, “I’m over in the Northwest Hall, floor one. Rooming with some third-year guy named ‘Jerbo’.”

“Hopefully he’s nice.” Luz said, wishing that Gus didn’t get a jerk for a roomie. 

“Eh, he better be.” Gus grinned, “Or it’ll be harder for him than me.”

“Ooh, scary.” Willow chuckled. 

The four students took a little while longer to converse, before deciding to head to their new homes for the next few years. They exchanged phone numbers with each other and composed a group chat. Luz immediately dropped a cat picture into the chat with a caption of ‘Clawsome’, earning good-natured groans from the others. 

Amity and Willow headed off, the greenette promising to text them where and when her siblings’ get-together was. Gus began heading away as well, eager to get meeting his roommate over with. 

As for Luz, she followed the instructions texted to her to get to Eda’s. She didn’t even need to cross the street, as her house was in the entrance of the suburb directly next to the campus. It took her maybe ten minutes to get there. 

The house she found herself in front of was rather different. It was two stories, with a strangely sloping blue roof and made of aged white brick. Multiple small windows seemed to be placed around the house, all varying in size. On the front of the wooden door, a cartoonish owl face was painted on. The linework was surprisingly crisp, Luz found herself noting. 

She took a breath, before knocking. 

It was silent for a few moments, just enough for Luz to begin doubting herself, before the door finally opened. And the Eda she hadn’t seen for at least a year was standing in the archway, grinning. 

She was as tall and lean as ever. Luz couldn’t help but think how similarly built she was to her sister. Their flawless, pale skin also lended itself to the family resemblance. She was dressed in a maroon, button up shirt and dark-grey dress pants. Her golden eyes stared at Luz with subtle happiness and a bit of surprise. 

“Luz? Oh heck, it’s already that time?!”

Oh. That was concerning. 

“Are…” Luz frowned, “Are you not happy about it? Did you change your mind about me staying with you?” As she continued her question, her expression got gradually more frantic.

“What?” Eda asked in surprise, “No, kid! Far from it, actually. I just wasn’t finished setting up your room yet. Wanted to try and make it a homey surprise for you.”

“Oh.” Luz sighed in relief, “That’s what it was.”

While she took care not to show it, Eda changing her mind or wanting to pass on an inconvenience had crossed her mind. And she truly was afraid of that, she wanted to spend time with Eda. She did love her, after all. Other than her mother, this was all of her family.

Eda quickly swept Luz up in a tight hug, “I’m glad you’re here, kid.”

Luz quickly returned the hug, “Same here! It’s been forever!”

“Got that right.” Eda released her from the hug and ruffled her hair, “Well, don’t let the critters in. Come check out your new home for the foreseeable future.” 

Luz hurried herself in at that, and Eda shut the door behind her.

The inside of the house was… Quaint. 

There was a bit of a mess, a little dust coating the closed boxes sitting around the living room. Various sheets of paper with scribbled notes littered the tables and chairs around. Various memorabilia was mounted on the walls, everything from autographed sports photos to what Luz recognized as a Star Wars spaceship. She didn’t know the name of it, but her mom was fond of the series. 

She wandered over to a sports article that was laminated and framed. 

“Bonesborough Barons win the Pacific Conference championship… 1997?” 

“Oh, that.” Eda laughed disappointedly, “I remember that football game. We haven’t been good since. It’s worth keeping though, so I can point out to Lilith that we did have a good team at some point.”

“Had? Are they bad now?” Luz asked. She was never a hardcore fan of sports, but she did find herself enjoying cheering for teams that she had some connection to. So far, she’d decided she liked Bonesborough, so she might as well support the city. 

“Terrible, actually. You want a lesson in futility? Here ya go. Some of the people of Bonesborough are transplants from other cities, so we see a lot more Glandus jerseys nowadays.”

“So, not many fans in the city?” Luz asked in confusion. 

“Oh, don’t get me wrong.” Eda laughed, “This town is still all pride. We just haven’t had much reason to be excited lately.” 

“I hope that changes!” Luz said, trying to cheer her basically-family up.

“It will, eventually. Sports are like the seasons, cyclical. I just can’t wait for Glandus to be bad at everything again. Far as high school sports go, Glandus High isn’t nearly as good as their professional counterparts.” Eda explained, before muttering, “Still give Hexside a hard time, though.”

Seeing that it was a sore subject, and that apparently Eda was a semi-passionate fan, Luz decided to change the conversation’s direction. 

“So…” Luz hummed, “I have a room?”

“Oh, right!” Eda exclaimed, before beginning to ascend the stairs, “Follow me.” 

As they made their way, the stairs creaked slightly with each step. At the top, there was a small hallway with one door at the end of the hall, two on the right, and one on the left.

“The big room by itself is mine, so you know where I might be. The first door on your right here is gonna be yours.” Eda explained, opening said door. 

Inside the room, there was a futon with a plush-looking, purple blanket. Several fluffy, stuffed animals were arranged in a little ensemble along it. 

There was also a small wooden dresser and matching desk in the corner. A black computer chair was parked with it.

“Not much, I know.” Eda sighed, “I didn’t really have the chance to pick up anything else.” 

“It’s alright, all the necessities are here!” Luz beamed. 

She could tell that Eda had been cleaning in the room. The wooden floors had a slight shine to them. Also, the limited furniture was oddly free of dust. Adding onto that, it was also clear that the blanket and those stuffed animals were new. Luz had a suspicion that Eda didn’t just have those sitting around. And she really did appreciate those notions, it was very thoughtful. 

“Yeah..” Eda sighed, glancing down at Luz, “Is that little backpack of yours all you brought with you?” 

“Hm?” Luz questioned, “Oh, yeah! I didn’t see any other students with suitcases.”

“Because they had ‘em delivered to their rooms, kiddo.” 

“Huh.” Luz shrugged, “Oh, well! I’ve got my sketchbook, my Azura books, and a few sets of clothes in here!” 

“That’s not nearly enough.” Eda shook her head, “I’m taking you shopping tomorrow.” 

“No, Eda, I don’t want you spending money on me!” Luz exclaimed, trying to dissuade the idea.

“Tough peanuts, kid.” Eda smirked, “You’re a teenager, you need more than that.”

“I have enough…” Luz argued, admittedly weakly. 

“Likely story.” Eda rolled her eyes, “Don’t fight me, kid. I never spend my money on other people, so don’t kick a gift horse in the mouth.” 

“You mean lick?”

“You lick me in the mouth, and I’ll park you outside.” Eda chuckled. 

“Ugh, fine. But nothing much!” Luz sighed. 

“Sure, kid.”

The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. Luz was excitedly explaining her day and new friends, making wide hand motions as she did. Eda gave a warm smile when they got to the part where she met Lilith for the first time.

“Glad to see my sister’s taking care of the kids.” 

“She was really nice.” Luz nodded, “Way better than my last counselor. Lilith got so mad when I told her my last counselor called me a ‘lost cause’.” 

Eda went silent, before giving a scowl oddly similar to her sister’s, “Address of this counselor?” She asked, gritting her teeth.

“Eda, no.” Luz said sternly, “It doesn’t even matter anymore. I’m here now!”

“Fine, fine.” Eda raised her hands in surrender. 

At that, Luz heard her phone’s text tone go off. She quickly pulled it out and unlocked it, finding a text from the group chat.

Amity: Group Room 3, floor under the library. In about an hour.  
Luz: Oh yeah, the party!  
Willow: Let’s meet up outside and go in together  
Gus: sweet, ill be there  
Amity: Grammar.  
Willow: Oh, lighten up!

Luz chuckled as she tucked the phone back in her pocket.

“Got a hot date, kiddo?” Eda asked. 

“Hah! No.” Luz laughed, “My friend Amity’s brother and sister are holding a before-semester get-together. And we’re all invited!” 

“Ah, I remember getting together with friends before school.” Eda sighed, “I’ll drop you off.”

“Oh, you don’t have to!” Luz exclaimed, “It’s literally a ten minute walk.” 

“I don’t have to, but I will. I’ve gotta go out and get some stuff for my shop anyway.”

“Oh, right. I never asked what you did for a living.” Luz realized.

Eda snorted, “Nothing too exciting. I have a little shop I sell collectables, antiques, and oddities at. I’ve hit it big with some sports and nerd memorabilia before. Would you believe one baseball card bought me this house and my car?”

“Really?” Luz asked in surprise. She never would’ve guessed a piece of cardboard could be worth so much money. She couldn’t help but wonder if some of her old Pokemon cards were worth anything.

“Don’t get too excited, kiddo.” Eda said with a smirk, “That was a special case. Limited edition, autographed rookie card for some baseball player on his way to the hall of fame. Glad I check prices, to be honest. I would’ve tossed in bulk otherwise and lost a fortune. Not much of a baseball fan, but hitting those kinds of cards a few times is enough to set me up like I am.”

“Woah…” Luz stared in awe. 

“Lady Luck helped me out a few times. Three times, to be exact. That’s probably my lifetime’s supply of good fortune, though.” Eda laughed, “Alright, get ready for your little shindig.”

Luz nodded, before storming up the stairs. 

In a matter of minutes, she was back down and looking sheepish.

“I’m just gonna wear this.”

“Oh, right, no other clothes then?” Eda asked.

“I have a few sets of clothes exactly like this, and pajamas.” 

“Gotcha. Wait a minute… Luz, you don’t have anything for the cool weather!”

“I mean,” Luz motioned to her hoodie, “This is good for all weather!”

“You tell me that when it’s forty degrees outside. I’ll remember a jacket for you.” 

“Eda, you don’t need to-”

“I’m. Buying. You. A. Wardrobe.” Eda stated firmly, “End of discussion.”

“Fine.” Luz groaned in annoyance. She just hoped Eda didn’t go overboard or she was going to feel so guilty. It was great that she cared so much for her, but she didn’t want to take advantage of that.

“Yup, it is.” Eda nodded, “Now, let's get you a little snack before I drop you off.”

The ‘little snack’ that Eda had alluded to wound up being a full meal. Sandwiches made from turkey that Eda had smoked out back the night before and sourdough bread. There were also grapes and oven-baked fries that had been used to fill the entirety of Luz’s plate. 

After Eda forced her to eat the whole plate, she followed through on her promise and dropped Luz off at campus and handed her a key. 

“I better not beat you home, missy. I’m out until midnight for this pickup and I’d rather you not walk home that late. Lord knows what you could be doing.” Eda had playfully told her.

Luz had quickly made her way over to the student center building containing the student hangouts, computer lab, and library. There was also a commons area containing several circular tables and restaurants that were currently closed. The sign called it the student center building.

She was mildly embarrassed to see she was the last of the four to arrive.

“Sorry, Eda made me eat something first.” Luz explained sheepishly.

“You’re all good, dude.” Gus grinned, “I just got here myself.”

“Oh, how’s the roommate?” Luz asked. 

“Don’t know, he wasn’t there.” He shrugged. Honestly, he’d meet the guy eventually. He just hoped it wouldn’t be by him being woken from a dead sleep tonight.

“He’ll show at some point. Anyway, we’ve been here a minute.” Willow rolled her eyes playfully, “Amity insisted we get here first, ‘if you’re on time, you’re late’, and all that.”

Amity frowned, “There’s nothing wrong with ensuring punctuality.”

“Even obsessive punctuality?” Willow asked, eyebrows raised.

The youngest Blight coughed awkwardly and flushed slightly. Okay, admittedly, she might have a small problem with perfection and her need for it. But still, being early had never bit her back before.

“It’s okay, Amity.” Luz sent her a reassuring smile, “It’s kind of cute how much effort you put in.”

“I’m not cute.” Amity pouted, crossing her arms dramatically.

“Yeah, okay.” Willow snarked.

With that, the four headed into the student center. It wasn’t hard to find where Ed and Em’s ‘not party’ was occurring. While not boisterously loud or anything of the sort, there was a source of noise coming from the hangout room they’d reserved. 

Luz cautiously reached up to knock on the door.

It swung open almost immediately, Emira’s coy smile greeting them.

“Oh, the cuties showed up on time. Or, to be more accurate, fashionably late.”

“What?” Amity questioned, “We’re like five minutes before the time you sent me.”

“Yeah, but…” Emira sang, “You’re still arriving after almost everyone else has gotten settled.” She sent a playful smile her younger sister’s way. While this wasn’t harmful, it did get a spark of irritation from the youngest sibling.

“Seriously, Emira?” Amity groaned. She shouldn’t be surprised. While she did believe the twins weren’t going to try and hurt her, she also believed inconvenience pranks would still be a thing. And this definitely had to fall into that category.

“Loosen up, baby sister.” Emira laughed, “Figured it’d be easier to introduce you to everyone if they were already here. Don’t take it as a prank, like I know you’re thinking.”

Amity flushed again. Was she really that predictable?

Luz interrupted in hopes of helping Amity hide her embarrassment, “So, you said we’re going to meet your friends?”

“Oh, right!” Emira gasped, gently beating the bottom of a fist into her other palm, “Get in here, kids. We’ve got a lot of introductions to do!” 

Without another word, the elder sister ushered their group in and closed the door. 

Surprise would be an accurate word to describe what Luz felt. The hangout room was much bigger than she’d expected. A perfect example of ‘much bigger on the inside’. There were several tables and low-to-the-ground chairs littered all around. Snack bowls filled with everything from candy to chips were spread around. There were also four beer bottles clumsily tossed into a knee-high garbage can.

“You’re drinking?” Amity asked with a frown.

“What?” Emira asked in surprise, before following her baby sister’s gaze, “Oh, the beer bottles. Nah, most of us don’t drink, actually. I think Ed had one, but mostly we’re all sober.”

Amity let out another sigh. Was it really so hard for her siblings to follow rules? The answer staring her in the face was apparently a ‘yes’. No one here was even out of school yet! And here they were, at a party that had alcohol. 

Emira caught her sister’s exasperation, “Oh, chill, baby sis. Someone brought a six-pack, that’s it. We’re not doing anything crazy in here.”

“I’m pretty sure there’s a policy against alcohol on campus.” Amity frowned.

“Some colleges have that too, but no one follows it.” Emira returned with a grin.

“It’s okay, Ams.” Willow said, placing a hand on her best friend’s shoulder, “It’s not like they’re being crazy or anything. They even put the bottles in the trash!”

“Okay, fine.” Amity let her shoulders sag. She’d make a mental note to grill her siblings before ever agreeing to one of their get-togethers again, though. Last thing she needed was to get busted at a party with underaged drinking.

Luz frowned over to the bottles, “That’s cheap stuff too. Not gonna get anyone drunk, even the lightweights.” 

The others turned to her in surprise. She couldn’t suppress a chuckle, “Wow, those looks. My mom’s not a drunk or anything, but she does mess with alcohol after a long day at the hospital. I hate the taste, so I’m not a drinker or anything.”

Gus nodded, “And a point for Luz. My dad likes cheap beer, though.”

“As interesting as this is,” Emira interrupted, “We’ve got introductions to do.”

With that, she led them over to a pair of girls lazily tossing a softball to each other from their fairly close-together chairs. 

The first girl had light-brown skin, and a small neck tattoo that resembled fang bites, as well as what appeared to be five talleys tattooed on each of her forearms. She wore a black Nike sleeveless shirt and grey joggers on her lean frame as her jet-black hair rested in an undercut. She looked to the newcomers in amusement.

“New blood, Em?” She asked, cockiness radiating from her tone. 

“Sure are. This is my baby sister, Amity. And these are her friends, Willow, Luz, and Gus.” She responded, waving her arms at them like a salesman unveiling a new car, She then pointed back to the girl, “Guys, this is Marceline, a senior this year.”

“Sup?” Marceline waved a lazy hand at them, “They look like rule-abiders.”

“I don’t know about the other two, but Amity yes and Willow, less than you’d think.”

“It depends. Sup!” Willow waved over with an amused grin. 

“You have something against following the rules?” Amity asked in mild offense.

Marceline only laughed, “Nothing personal. Just don’t snitch, okay?”

The other girl still holding the softball cut in with a relaxed tone, “Snitches get stitches. Just gotta be cool, dudes. Otherwise, you do you.”

She was clearly about the same height or taller than Marceline. Long, red hair rested near her belt’s level. She donned a green-plaid flannel and tight jeans with a brown lumberjack’s hat pulling her ensemble together. She grinned, shifting the freckles on her cheeks. 

“And,” Emira added, “This is Wendy. She’s also going to be a senior this year.”

“Hey, little dudes.” Wendy grinned, shooting them a peace sign.

The four quickly sent their greeting, these much more loose than the ones they gave the admittedly-intimidating Marceline. That got an amused chuckle out of the tattooed girl. Wendy just shook her head and lobbed the softball back to her. 

Emira then dragged them over to Edric, who was conversing with the two students they saw fleeing from the security guard when they first arrived. The trio looked over and waved happily. 

“Wow,” Edric grinned, “You guys showed up, and didn’t dip at the sight of the beer bottles. You’ll do fine here.” He laughed out the last part, clearly getting amusement out of it. 

Amity rolled her eyes while the others chuckled. 

Edric then made motions over to his two companions, “Anyway, these two are Viney and Jerbo. They’re our closest friends here.” The girl, Viney, sent a two-fingered salute while Jerbo nodded approvingly. 

“Jerbo?” Gus asked, surprised, “Hey! I’m Gus, guess we’ll be rooming together.”

For his part, Jerbo sent a lazy nod and smiled back, “Sweet, dude. Sorry I wasn’t in the room, I had to make sure security didn’t catch my scent again. They shouldn’t be surprised, though.”

Viney laughed, “It’s true. And I mean, they had to have known it was us.” She motioned to her earring, “I’m the only one with a giant fishhook on their body. Come on, now.”

“They probably just stopped trying with you two.” Emira laughed. 

Luz took the chance to interject, “How come you guys were being chased by security?”

Jerbo and Viney looked to each other, before shrugging.

“If I remember right,” Jerbo answered, “I think we got caught replacing the welcome brochures with informational sheets about griffins.”

“Nah,” Viney responded, “I think it was for stuffing Jackie Lynn’s locker with packing peanuts.”

Jerbo shook his head in response, “No way. She thought it was hilarious. Seashell skater girl even posted it on Penstagram. She was literally laughing in the selfie.”

“Oh yeah. I think she tagged us in it.” 

“She did. Maybe it was for the-”

“Okay!” Emira quickly cut in, “It was for one of the many things you did that we may or may not have aided in!” 

Amity sighed. Her siblings were very much still up to no good. The only plus was that they were going to try and not cross a line with her. But, of course, they and their friends still had to be the bane of the disciplinary staff’s existence.

“Dude,” Luz laughed, “Those are great! And not malicious, so bonus points!” 

Viney pointed at her, “I like this one. And for the record, I’m a straight-A student.”

Edric cut in, “You’ll have plenty of chances to shoot the breeze. But right now, we gotta introduce these noobs to the rest of the group.”

The rest of the introductions flew by. Edric and Emira tried to introduce them to the other twelve-plus people at the not-party, but it was hard to keep track of them all. While Marceline and Wendy stuck out, being the first ones introduced to, and Jerbo and Viney already having made an impression, the rest just didn’t stick like them. That being said, Luz found herself in conversation with a guy, who’s name she was pretty sure she had not even been told, about classic arcade games. The tall, tan-skinned boy with the puffy, purple hair knew his stuff.

Meanwhile, Amity and Willow had busied themselves catching up with Edric and Emira a bit more. The twins took the opportunity to give more apologies to their baby sister, and check on how her best friend’s life had been going. Gus found himself in an intense Uno game with Jerbo and Viney.

Luz couldn't help but relish in the friendly and relaxed atmosphere at this not-party. Even though she barely knew anyone's names, and they barely knew hers, these people held happy conversations. Despite them being upperclassmen and her being an incoming freshman. If she was still back home, she never would've been invited to something like this, let alone be welcomed.

Before any of them knew it, it was time to go. They all took a moment to help clean up, which resulted in it taking roughly five minutes at worst. Edric, Emira, Willow, and Amity all headed back to their dorms, while Jerbo and Viney walked with Gus to an all-night coffee stand. Everyone else filtered out rather quickly.

That’s how, at this point, Luz was walking up the steps to Eda’s house at just a quarter past ten. She turned the key, and opened the door. Apparently, in their haste to get to their destinations, they’d left the living room light on. 

She didn’t even think about it, and plopped right onto the couch. It was a good day. She’d met so many people who were as quirky and excitable as she was. There weren’t any subtle digs or passive-aggressive comments, only a group of teens hanging out. And she was welcomed in it. This had to be the best day of Luz’s life. And this was just the beginning!

Her phone dinged.

Amity: Okay, I’ll admit it. That was fun.  
Willow: Uh, yeah. I think I remember three people’s names at most, though.  
Gus: It should at least be four!  
Luz: I don’t know about you guys, but this was the best night I’ve had in forever.  
Amity: Glad you had fun, Luz :)  
Willow: Aww, only Luz gets an emoji  
Amity: What’s that supposed to mean?  
Gus: time for sleep  
Willow: Zzz  
Amity: WILLOW, I CAN SEE YOU, YOU’RE NOT SLEEPING  
Luz: Seriously though. That was great.  
Willow: I am actually glad you had fun, Luz.  
Luz: Now, I sleep  
Gus: Catch them Z’s, girl  
Willow: sleep tight!  
Amity: The texting inconsistencies… Good night, Luz.

Luz smiled, before letting the phone rest on her lap. She’d go up to bed in a minute.

For now, she just wanted to let the excitement wear off a bit. 

…

When Eda arrived back home, she found Luz fast asleep on the couch. 

With a chuckle, she carried Luz to her futon and tucked her in. 

She’d definitely ask the girl about her night tomorrow, but she couldn’t bring herself to wake the kid up now. And honestly, would probably have a heck of a time trying to. The girl didn’t stir once as she was deposited and tucked into bed.


End file.
